((The story continues directly from part two))
Footnotes:
*Ephel Dùath = Shadow mountains. West mountain wall of Mordor.
*Osgiliath has very low population because of the Great Plague
*Minas Anor - Old name for Minas Tirith.
- Part Three -
As Sador enters the mess tent, two men who were engaged in chanting war songs of victory send him a smile and beckons him over to join them. One of them fairly older then Sador, the other considerably younger - but both showing great resemblance to Sadors appearance in both build and looks. His father Hardor - a seasoned warrior and leader of the family clan, and to his left, Sador's only son, Harthad - the hope of the family.
It is Harthad's first campaign. He has just turned 17 of age. He fought well and with fierce conviction. Sador knows he will become something great one day...
Hardor hands Sador a tankard of mead with a grin as he continues to sway from side to side - singing and cheering along with the rest of the men in the huge tent.
Sador puts his hand on Harthad's shoulder and lifts his tankard to toast the two family members, then joins in with his somewhat harsh and rusty voice.
In the middle of the tent are a few of the chariot warriors who were first into battle - and the men who were responsible for the Gondorian king and heirs to fall. The songs are in their honour...
Sador peers over to his father and chuckles
"Are ye not to relive the guards to take the night watch soon? Might want to slow down a bit with the mead, ey?"
Hardor starts to laugh and shouts out for all to hear:
"And who are there to guard us from? The small remains of the King and his mighty northern army of the Gondors lie slain on the battle field. They are nothing but stomach fill for the scavengers of these lands!"
Hardor raises his tankard and is joined by the rest of the men in the tent in a loud cheer.
And so the singing and chanting starts again...
Sador smirks and shakes his head a little to himself as he sees his father and son start to dance around in circles with the other men - shoulder to shoulder.
He leaves the tent with his tankard at hand.
It is still a gloomy light over the skies... Blood red, as if to bring news and warnings to all of Middle Earth about the deed that has been done here on this day.
He takes a good sip from his tankard, and lets the mead run down his throat.
Suddenly he pauses... As if he heard something that did not quite fit inn to the sounds of the camp... He stands still and listens...
But the noise from the celebrating soldiers in the camp makes it impossible to separate any sounds from the singing of the men to the drums, flutes and horns being used.
NO!... there it was again... It did not sound like it came from the camp... More distant... coming from the south or south-west...
Was it a battle-horn??
Sador stands still and peers into the gloomy distant, south towards the west side of the Morannan - towards the mountains of Ephel Dùath - towards North Ithilien...
Nothing... he sees nothing... Was it the wind playing tricks on him?
He looks up to the skies and his surroundings - and confirms to himself that the wind is completely still...
He keeps his eyes fixed on the horizon... looking for any signs of movement.
Could it be the announcement of the coming of their allied brethren of the Haradrim forces?
He knew they were to attack Gondor simultaneously - The Wainriders from the north-east - from Rhûn, the Haradrim from the south - following the Harad Road to Poros, taking the Crossing to Poros on their way - and crushing the inferior southern army of the Gondors - led by Captain Eärnil - A distant relative of the slain King Ondoher.
But they were not to join forces before they had taken North Ithilien, and the Haradrim had taken South Ithilien - Gathering to take the almost deserted Osgiliath - then Mithil Anor.
Could they have made such a decisive victory in the south that they had already taken South Ithilien, and were now chasing the few Gondorian soldiers who managed to retreat from the slaughter here on this battlefield?
Sador felt his blood rush from excitement to the thought...
THERE!! He heard it again... this time it was not to be mistaken... A battle horn!
And now... something more... the sounds of hooves from horses... and marching men...
Sador starts to run over to the guard outpost on the south side of the camp.
The guards there have yet not heard it - still engaged in drinking games and singing songs...
The three of them sends Sador a confused gaze as Sador comes storming in with his eyes fixed on the horizon - they follow his eyes and silence fills the air in an instant.
Sador's half eager smirk slowly disintegrates as his eyes are fixed on the horizon...
And is eyes slowly widens... widens from fear of what they are taking in right this moment.
Sador starts to breathe heavily, and has to fight the urge to panic...
One of the guards finally breaks the silence and screams out:
"G..G....GONDORS!!!! TO ARMS!!!! THE GONDORS ARE COMING!!!!!"
((To be continued very soon))
***
